When I began this blog of mine over six years ago I never imagined the amount of love and passion I would have for the city that I am so lucky to call home. Having always loved this region I didn’t think it would be possible to find deeper meaning, deeper roots and deeper passions that I have come to find, but it has happened and there is so, so much to be grateful for in our region.

Since it is “716 day” I thought I would share my list of favorite (favorite!!) restaurants, venues, activities, events, and people I like to follow. I know I missed A LOT on this list (it’s so hard to think of it all), but take a look. Let me know what are some of your favorite things in the 716 - places you like to go, events you like to attend and people you like to follow.

Western New York may be a small region compared to big cities, but it has a ton of talent, pride and passion to share with visitors and those that are lucky to call it home.

Favorites broken down by category:

Brewery: Resurgence – Have you checked out their new location at 55 Chicago? If not, definitely put it on your list of things to do

Restaurants:

Southtowns: Alchemy Wine Bar/The Grange

Downtown Restaurants: Marble + Rye, Hearth + Press (especially before a show at Sheas), Hydraulic Hearth (love their outdoor patio in the summertime), Cantina Loco is my favorite spot for guac, and chips and they are my favorite spot for margaritas. Love Wasabi on Elmwood for Sushi

Northtowns: Share on Main Street, TCB on Transit Road and Greens on Transit

Cocktails – Duende at Silo City is a pretty cool, chill place, Angelica Tea Room, Just Vino on Main Street, Blackbird Cider on Chandler Street, The Terrace at Delaware Park is a beautiful spot as well, those views of Hoyt Lake are BEAUTIFUL.

Dog Park: Hands down my Harlie girl loves the Knox Farm – whether its running around at the dog park or walking the trails it’s a happy place for her

Workout Spot: #REVLIFE is the best life. Any class at Revolution Buffalo is sure to be a fun time. It is my happy place. A place where I take in all the positive vibes that I can. I also love Love in Motion yoga. Kate and Kath bring those feel good vibes with every flow

Outdoor spots: Hands down The Outer Harbor is my favorite waterfront spot and a spot that I never get sick of. Whether it’s a run, walk, the views or visiting Tifft Nature Preserve it has a special place in my heart. Delaware Park and Artpark are also places I love to visit outdoors

Fun things to do: A fishing excursion with Brookdog Fishing is a blast and I highly recommend for anyone (at any fishing level). The Buffalo Pedal Tours are so much fun, Hatchets & Hops is also a fun place to check out as well as the Silo City tours with Explore Buffalo

Coffee Shops: Remedy House, Tipico, Public and Overwinter

Favorite places: The Buffalo Zoo (that’s a given; I mean if you know me you know how much I love animals (more than some people)). The Aquarium is another favorite spot. The Science Museum, kayaking, The Buffalo Central Terminal and the Broadway Market

Favorite summer time events: Jack Craft Fair and new this year – Door Open Buffalo/Explore Buffalo, I always try and visit Shakespeare at Delaware Park too, it’s a classic summertime activity in Buffalo. Wines in the Wild at the Zoo is also one I always go to. For me being an event planner I feel like I attend a lot of events not just plan a lot so when a new event is created or its an event I have never been to – that excites me more than a recurring event, unless it has “wowed” me.

My bucket list of things to do before summer is over: Visit the new Explore & More, A hot air balloon ride (this has been on my bucket list for years), learn/try to paddle board – all those years at the Harbor and I never had a chance to do it then, visit Shirt Factory in Medina, and take a class with Ren at Rise Fitness.

A couple weeks ago I attended the Jack Craft Fair at the Central Terminal. Being my second time attending the event, I was looking forward to seeing some of the Etsy shop owners face to face. While sometimes ordering online is nice, I am a fan of shopping face to face and meeting with the owners. Vendors lined the main floor of the Central Terminal with amazing pieces of art, furniture, jewelry and more. There was a live band, a DIY section and food and drink available. Even though it was quite warm inside, the backdrop of the Central Terminal was quite stunning. I've been inside that building a number of times and each time I'm there it still amazes me how beautiful of a place it is, its also nice to see it being used for events.

When I saw that the Buffalo Central Terminal Restoration Corporation was hosting a tour of the building I had to jump on it. Growing up on Fillmore, the area holds a special place in my heart despite the decline in the neighborhood. It's hard to imagine that a building that beautiful once was booming with business during World War II. My father always talks about how my grandfather would use the trains to travel off to war and how he and my uncle would play roller hockey in the lobby.

Going on this tour gave me a better understanding of how the building was utilized during its hey day and how horrible the City of Buffalo's people in power can be at times. I also learned its those advocates and volunteers who have a lot of passion for the Central Terminal who keep it going and I can only hope one day the building is put to good use again.

-B

Here are some facts I took away from the tour:

The Central Terminal process began in the 1880s. It took 43 years (1925) for NY Central and the City of Buffalo to agree on a location.

The bones of the structure are made of steel with classic brick art deco. Every 5th row has a row of smaller bricks for structural support. You just don't see buildings built like this anymore

The station is 85 years old

It took 2 years to complete the entire building

More parking than anywhere else in the city, because it has underground space

The Central Terminal was a 15 million dollar project - $5 million went into building the building and $10 million went into reworking train tracks

Chicago was the top city, followed by Buffalo and then NYC being third as cities to have the most train travel

June 23 1929 was opening day just a few short months before the Great Depression hit

At its prime there were 250 trains coming into the Central Terminal a day (that's every six minutes) and 3200 passengers daily

WW II is when the terminal was used to its capacity

There are 17 floors in the tower with the 17th being a water tank

1500 people worked out of that building, mostly in the railroad industry

On a good day you can see the Terminal from 15 miles away

In 1999 the tower was re-lite for people to see

There are multiple buildings within the main tower - some of those buildings were for electrical control towers, the power house, coat shop, mail and baggage and REA platforms

The U.S. Postal Service used railroads the most

In 1952 NY Central put the Terminal up for sale. It dwindled down from 100 trains a day to 50 trains to 8 trains a day

There was a belt line in the City up to Toronto

The main lobby holds 9 ticket stations and really no benches - the concept was to get people in and out in of the building

There were a maze of tunnels underground

Last train out of the Central Terminal was in 1979

The City of Buffalo allowed the building to go to salvage. The Jimmy Griffin administration wanted to tear the building down

In 1997 the Central Terminal Restoration bought the building

Tony Fedele was a great owner for the Terminal and lived above the lobby for the 5-6 years while he was the owner. The City raised the property taxes each and then let the building fall apart with graffiti and broken windows.

After Tony Fedele's ownership, Thomas Telesco purchased the building for salvage rights and sold artifacts to multiple places including overseas, leaving a good number of the original pieces still missing from the building to this day.

Outside of the train travel industry another industry taking place in the Trolley Lobby was the Mafia and that was led by Council member Montana

To see a list of upcoming events that are taking place at the Terminal or to learn how you can help out, visit their website at buffalocentralterminal.org